


Happiness Drawing

by Toaverse



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Barley is 4 and Ian is 7 months, Flashbacks, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Memories, Mentions of Cancer, Sad with a Happy Ending, Wilden is alive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24422101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toaverse/pseuds/Toaverse
Summary: When seeing their dad so sad, Barley and Ian takes it upon themselfs to cheer him up again!(An AU where Wilden and Laurel switched places.)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	Happiness Drawing

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a idea Theangstking send me! :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Wilden Lightfoot usually sees the good in everything, no matter how bad or tough the situation is or can get. If the situation is bad enough, he will find a distraction that will lead his mind into a better place.

This time however, he couldn’t.

He’s reading the newspaper on the couch, while keeping an eye out for both his sons who are playing in the living room. It’s a distraction method the man usually uses, but it isn’t helping this time. Wilden knows that death isn’t suppose to be taken lightly, especially when it comes to a loved one, more specifically the love of your life.

Wilden can still remember how pale Laurel looked when she was hooked to all those tubes, her life slowly fading away in the process. 

It happend around 8 months ago, 2 weeks after Ian’s birth, so the father of two can still remember both events like the back of his hand.

She had been battling breast cancer for a few years, and it eventually calmed down for awhile. Unfortunately, it came back when she was around 2 months pregnant with Ian. The house was filled with stress and fear from both adults after they heard the news, especially Wilden, since he didn’t wanna lose his wife AND unborn child at the same time.

Luckily, Laurel pulled through, and Ian was born healthy. Wilden still remembers the happiness Laurel felt when she held him for the first time, forgetting all about her situation in that moment.

But this didn’t last long...

In the two weeks that followed, her condition became worse and worse. More tubes where added by each day to make sure she stayed alive, but that didn’t last long either.

After exactly two weeks after Ian was born, Laurel Lightfoot passed away.

Wilden knew that it was for the best. He knew that his wife couldn’t continue living like this, no matter how hard it is to accept.

The father of two let out a sniff as he thinks about all of this, trying to focus on his newspaper.

While playing, Barley looks up at his dad, only to meet a sad look on his face. It makes the 4 year old wonder what could have happend that makes his dad so sad. Is it something they did? Is it because their mom is not around anymore? Is it something else?

But then a idea pops in the 4 year old’s mind.

“Daddy, can Ian and I draw in the kitchen?” Barley asks, looking at his dad with curious eyes.

“Of cours.” Wilden answers, looking past his newspaper at his son.

“Okey!” The boy then walks to his baby brother, and gently picks him up, holding a grip on the 7 month old to make sure he wouldn’t accidentally drop him. “Come along, Ian!”

Wilden watches his sons go into the kitchen until they are out of sight, and a smile broke loose. The way the 4 year old takes care of his younger brother when he’s is busy always makes the man smile a little.

•+•

Barley pulls out his drawing stuff and paper out the kitchen cabinet and lays it on the table. Meanwhile, Ian is sitting on the ground, watching his older brother. When he has everything organized, Barley lifts the 7 month old baby up again, and sits on one of the chairs, carefully putting Ian on his lap so that the infant can also see what’s on the table.

“Okey Ian, what should we draw to cheer daddy up?” The older boy asks his baby brother, whispering a bit to make sure their father can’t hear him. “How about dad as a wizard?”

Ian lets out a giggle, finding the last word of his brother’s sentence funny. That is basically a “yes” in Barley’s eyes.

“Okey!” Barley answers, immediately getting to work on the drawing.

Of cours, like any wizard, the boy added a robe and hat to their dad’s drawn stick figure. And he doesn’t forget the staff!

When Barley’s done drawing their dad, he thinks that it will be much more cozier if he and Ian are in the drawing as well. When he’s done drawing both himself and Ian, he looks at the paper with pride. 

In the drawing, both boys stand next to their dad, who’s a wizard, Ian having a small wizard hat as well while holding his big brother’s hand.

It looks great in Barley’s eyes, but there’s something missing...

“Ian? The older boy starts, “Should we add mommy to?”

No kind of response comes out of the baby, only looking at the drawn picture with wonder.

Barley thought about it for a few seconds, but concludes that he should do it.

As he gets to work again, he tries to remember what his mom looks like again, which he succeeds in for the most part.

When the 4 year old was done, he looks at his drawn mom.

Unlike Wilden, Laurel doesn’t have a wizard hat or staff, but rather a sword in her hands, ready to defeat some kind of dragon.

The drawing looks amazing in both boys’ eyes.

“Let’s show daddy!” Barley beams with excitement, ready to cheer their dad up.

The 4 year old carefully gets off the chair with his baby brother still in his arms. Holding Ian with two arms while gripping the drawing with his left hand, the brothers went into the living room again.

“Daddy, look!”

Wilden hears his oldest son’s words, and looks past his newspaper. His eyes are met by the sight of Barley holding out a drawing with one of his hands while holding Ian tightly in his arms.

The man takes the drawing from his son and looks at the family portrait they had drawn. A smile appears on Wilden’s face as he looks at it.

“You looked sad, so we drawn this to make you happy again.” Barley explains, still holding Ian.

“It’s beautiful...” Wilden says. He looks back at his sons with huge smile on his face and extends his arms, implying for a hug.

Barley gets the message as he gives Ian to his dad first, climbing on the couch afterwards. When the 4 year old is finally on the furniture, he’s instantly met with his dad’s arm around him, pulling him into a hug like with Ian, who’s in his other arm.

“Thank you.” Wilden says, hugging his sons.

Ian and Barley both don’t respond with words, but rather cuddle up against their dad, glad that he’s happy again.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright *rubs hands together* time for some more death :)


End file.
